Tesla’s pricing strategy comes down to one key difference from its competitors, and as the automaker recently cut pricing for the fifth time this year, the method to its madness is being further examined.
Tesla’s most recent price cuts on Friday are a far cry from its most drastic, which came in January after the Model Y was discounted by $13,000, nearly 20 percent on some trim levels.
While legacy automakers are not prone to cut prices by that much, Barron’s notes in a recent article that substantial price cuts for these companies are usually $1,000, and not the $13,000 that Tesla is able to apply to its vehicles because of its dealership model:
“Tesla, of course, doesn’t have a traditional dealer network. It is both car maker and car dealer. That is one reason investors should expect more volatility from Tesla versus its competition. All of its discounts are visible. Dealer-related discounts rarely rise to become investor-level news.”
Tesla customers have a distinct advantage in terms of consumerism, as they avoid basically the most stressful part of car buying, and that’s pricing. All too often, people who are at dealerships to buy a car are stuck wondering if someone else bought the same model for a lesser price, if they should have haggled more, and if there was more negotiating to be done.
The direct-to-consumer model has changed this.
The dealership model is not the only reason for the price cuts, but it is one major influence. Legacy automakers like Ford and GM are often cutting prices to clear their lots, bringing new vehicles to their inventories, and generating revenue for the larger corporation.
The reasoning for Tesla’s massive price cuts all depends on who you ask. Some analysts will say it is to recapture market share, and Tesla has the ability to control prices to manipulate competitors and consumer interest in their products. Others will say it is to counter weakening demand, although Tesla’s delivery figures increase quarter-over-quarter regularly.
Tesla can almost utilize its price cuts as a PR campaign. Meanwhile, an example of a BMW iX being cut by $10,000 without the customer asking was told by auto analyst Mike Ward. These stories do not make it to the media.
Meanwhile, Tesla’s price cuts apply to everyone and these broad market adjustments make for mass exposure, showing the company reduces prices.
“I assume Tesla’s strategy is based on the assumption of customer retention,” Nicholas Colas of DataTrek said. “Car buyers are a notoriously fickle lot, with only about 50 percent brand loyalty at the next purchase. Maybe a new technology like EVs is different, with higher retention.”
Lower prices will impact Tesla’s margins, which are among the strongest in the industry. However, more important is the retention of its customer base and a growth in sales as it still is only delivering a fraction of what legacy automakers will this year, even if their figures count ICE vehicles.
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Tesla Sweden defies unions again by opening yet another Supercharger
The site features 12 Superchrger V4 stalls that are ready to provide up to 250 kW to electric vehicles.
Tesla Sweden’s issues with the country’s unions are not over yet, but the electric vehicle maker seems determined to support all EV drivers in the country anyway. As per industry watchers, Tesla Sweden recently opened yet another Supercharger, this time in the Municipality of Ödeshög.
The new Supercharger benefits not just Tesla owners since it offers rapid charging services to other EV brands as well.
New V4 Tesla Supercharger
As per Tesla watcher @NicklasNilsso14, who has long been following the activities of the electric vehicle maker in Sweden, the newly opened Supercharger is located at Östgötaporten in Ödeshög. The site features 12 Superchrger V4 stalls that are ready to provide up to 250 kW to electric vehicles. Its location is good, too, as it was built near the E4 highway exit, making it close to amenities in the area.
The fact that the Supercharger serves not just Teslas but also electric vehicles from other brands will likely be appreciated by drivers in Sweden. Tesla Superchargers, after all, are among the most reliable and convenient rapid charging systems in the country.
Anti-Supercharger Union Efforts
Amidst Tesla’s conflict with IF Metall, other unions in the country have rolled out sympathy measures in an attempt to cripple the company’s operations. Two of the most notable are the Elektrikerna union and Seko, both of which have initiated efforts to block the launch of new Superchargers.
Unfortunately for the unions, Tesla is a very stubborn company, and it is also creative. Tesla also does not hesitate to use its resources to get around the measures being implemented by the unions. Earlier this month, for example, two new Supercharger sites were opened in the city of Södertälje.
The new Södertälje Superchargers upset the unions, with a press officer for the Elektrikerna union stating that Tesla seems to be flying in people to help launch its Superchargers. “It is a good question how this has happened. We think it is unfortunate. But they seem to have their methods. They bring in foreign companies and fly in people, we think,” Bello noted then.
News
Tesla opens whopping 83 job listings for Semi program
The job listings are for several locations across the United States.
The Tesla Semi may not be mass-produced yet today, but the electric vehicle maker sure seems extremely serious about ramping up its Semi-related operations in the coming months.
This was hinted at recently in Tesla’s Career Page, which lists a whopping 83 job listings related to the Tesla Semi program as of writing.
Tesla Semi Jobs
A look at Tesla’s Careers Page shows that the company has posted an impressive 83 jobs for the Semi program. The job listings are for several locations across the United States, from engineering-related roles in Palo Alto, California, to manufacturing-related roles in Sparks, Nevada, and vehicle service-related roles in Sacramento, California.
The late number of Semi-related jobs on Tesla’s Careers website suggests that efforts are now underway to grow the company’s team for the Class 8 all-electric truck. The Semi is arguably Tesla’s most underrated product, after all, having delivered its first units to a customer late 2022. Today, the Tesla Semi is being used in the field by customers like PepsiCo, but their numbers are still very limited.
Tesla Semi Factory
To enable the mass production of the Semi, Tesla has started the construction of a dedicated factory near Giga Nevada. Drone flyovers of the Semi factory site show that the facility is seeing steady progress. And during the Q4 and FY 2024 earnings call, VP for Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy noted that the Semi is expected to see its first batch of meaningful production this 2025.
“The first builds of the (Tesla Semi’s) high volumes in design come late this year in 2025 and begin ramping early in 2026. But as we’ve said before, the Semi is a TCO no-brainer. I think it’s really similar to Optimus. It’s going to be set by how much people pay, and its total cost of ownership is much, much cheaper than any other transportation you could have. So, at that point, when we’re at scale, it will meaningfully contribute to Tesla’s revenue,” the Tesla executive noted.
Tesla Model Y Juniper deliveries started in South Korea recently. The Model Y Juniper is poised to drive Tesla’s sales growth in South Korea.
Tesla’s strong performance in the country’s import market underscores its growing dominance in South Korea. In 2024, Tesla sold 29,750 vehicles in South Korea, defying challenges in the broader auto sector.
The company’s momentum carried into 2025. The Tesla Model Y led South Korea’s imported car market in February with 2,038 unit registrations, according to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA). South Korea’s total imported passenger car registrations rose 24.4% to 21,199 units. Tesla ranked third with 2,222 unit registrations, trailing behind BMW’s 6,274 units and Mercedes-Benz’s 4,663 car registrations.
The Model Y Rear Wheel Drive has been a key driver of Tesla’s appeal in South Korea. The classic Model Y was South Korea’s top performer in February 2025. The Model Y Juniper variant is expected to build Tesla’s success in the country.
In the first quarter, Tesla was focused on retooling and upgrading its gigafactories worldwide for the Model Y Juniper. Tesla’s results in the second quarter will reveal how much of an impact the retooling and upgrades had on the company in the first quarter.
Tesla is still facing a few headwinds in Q2 2025, including Trump’s auto tariffs and attacks on customer vehicles related to Elon Musk. While Tesla is predicted to be the best-positioned American automaker for Trump’s auto tariffs, it will still be affected. As for the Tesla attacks, Elon Musk has announced a renewed focus on his duties to the EV automaker and plans to significantly reduce his time to DOGE next month.
Tesla Sweden defies unions again by opening yet another Supercharger
Tesla opens whopping 83 job listings for Semi program
Tesla Model Y Juniper deliveries could boost S Korea sales in Q2
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